


Even When I Lose (i'm winning)

by SophieRosina



Series: You're Crazy (and i'm out of my mind) [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s02e23 Unthinkable, F/M, Lazarus Pit, Season/Series 02 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2014-11-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 13:19:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2582849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophieRosina/pseuds/SophieRosina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I’m going to give you a choice, Felicity.”<br/>This, she hadn’t prepared for.<br/>“Oliver can’t save himself and Miss Lance, though we both know he will try.... You, however, can.”</p><p>The second in a series of related drabbles set during 2x23, but spirals in its own direction following the scene in Queen Consolidated where Felicity says to Oliver, "You told me you had a choice." Inspired by John Legend's 'All Of Me'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even When I Lose (i'm winning)

_What’s going on in that beautiful mind?_

_I’m on your magical mystery ride.  
_

All Of Me - John Legend

 

_“What if there was a way we could do this together? A way to stop him without killing him that allows me to stay out of harm’s reach at the same time?”_

_“Then we’ll use it,” he replied. “But not if you need to leave this room. I can’t…”_

_“I know,” she soothed. He nodded._

_“Wait for me here,” he urged. “I’ll come get you once this is over.”_

Felicity almost wished she hadn’t listened to Oliver’s plea. While he, Sara and the League were all in the tunnel fighting Slade’s army, she was hidden away in the second foundry, as far from the action as possible. She could still hear the grunts, groans and cries of the battle through the comm in her ear, and felt reassured knowing that Oliver was still there, still breathing, still fighting… But not being with him? Not being able to see or touch him? She felt helpless, and if there was anything she hated more than Slade Wilson in that moment, that was it.

There had been times in the past where she hadn’t felt like she was pulling her weight in regards to Team Arrow. She couldn’t fight like the others could, couldn’t strategize or _think_ the same way they did, and while at times that worked in her favor, sometimes she wondered if her presence was more of a hindrance than a help. That feeling of uselessness had come to a head when the Clock King had taken over their network, but in the weeks following, she had started to find her place again. Until Oliver’s confession had thrown her right off course again.

_He wants to kill the woman I love…_

_He took the wrong woman._

_I need you to be safe…_

Right now, she was a distraction – was distracted herself - and that was the only reason she had agreed to stay out of sight. But listening to the fierce fighting from the comfort of her safe haven….

Felicity shook her head and pulled up the tracking program she had written on her tablet to flash up Laurel’s location again. It had taken her mere minutes to trace Laurel’s phone to an industrial factory, and since it hadn’t moved in over half an hour, Felicity could only assume that was exactly what Slade had wanted. Her to track, Oliver to chase, so _He_ could ambush.

_“Felicity?”_

She sat bolt upright and scrambled to unmute her side of the comm. “Oliver? Are you okay?”

_“Slade’s army is broken.”_

She let out a sigh of relief.

 _“Any news on Laurel?”_ Sara’s voice came through.

“I have a possible location, but-”

If the fierce crackling over the line made Felicity flinch, the voice that spoke next made her entire body shudder violently.

_“Well, well, Miss Smoak. You have been busy.”_

“Slade…” She could barely breathe, panic had seized her so completely.

“ _I see that Oliver has, once again, missed the point.”_

Felicity scrambled to try and trace the signal hacking into their comms, brain kicking into gear once the initial terror had lifted. _This was all part of the plan, the reason she left the comms link vulnerable to attack…_

“ _My army may have fallen, but if any of you want to see your dear Miss Lance again, you are going to meet me where I say, when I say.”_

“Or what?” She didn’t know where the strength in her voice came from, but knowing Oliver could hear every word through the secondary line made her feel protected, somehow. “You’ll kill her?”

“ _I can see, now, why Miss Rochev despised you so much. You’re cleverer than you look.”_

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Felicity could see Oliver’s tracker racing towards her location, while Sara’s remained still as she readied herself to strike the moment Felicity got a lock on Slade’s location.

Slade’s laughter played out over the line. “ _I like you, Miss Smoak. Very… fiery. It’s a shame, really, that you have to die, too.”_

Felicity swallowed. _He doesn’t know I’m here, he can’t know I’m here._ “What makes you think that I’ll be dying?”

_“Because you’d do anything to keep Oliver safe, wouldn’t you? Miss Rochev told me all about how much you pine for him.”_

“I…”

“ _I’m sure by now you’ll have traced my location,”_ Slade correctly assumed. “ _And, as you can see, Miss Lance is being held too far away from me for reinforcements to arrive, should Oliver and_ The Canary _decide to split.”_

He was right.

“ _So I’m going to give you a choice, Felicity.”_ This, she hadn’t prepared for. “ _Oliver can’t save himself_ and _Miss Lance, though we both know he will try.”_

Felicity’s mind was whirring – Sara would need the League to rescue Laurel, leaving Oliver to go after Slade alone…

“ _You, however, can.”_

“What?” Her mouth went dry.

_“Send Oliver after Laurel, and both he and the Lance sisters shall live.”_

“That’s it? And you just, what… walk away?”

 _“No, my dear Felicity.”_ She felt cold, suddenly. _“You come with me, and never see your beloved Oliver again.”_

“I…”

 _“Fifteen minutes, Miss Smoak,”_ Slade cut across. “ _Or they all die.”_

And, just like that, as soon as his voice had pierced the room, it was gone.

“Felicity?”

She screamed, whirling in her chair as the door to the second foundry burst open.

Oliver half-ran, half-limped into the room, a wild look in his eyes. Felicity was up and out of her chair before she could even think the action through, rushing to meet him halfway.

Their bodies sagged with relief as their chests pressed tightly together, arms wrapping around each other, seeking reassurance that they were both okay.

“Did you hear-”

“Yes,” Oliver replied, pulling back just far enough to look into her eyes. “You’re not going.”

Felicity swallowed. “I know.”

“This is my fight; I have to end it. Nobody else will die because of me.”

“I know,” she repeated quietly.

“Sara and the League can go for Laurel, but I’m not gonna let you-”

“Oliver!” She reached up to cup his face with both hands, lips brushing his as she whispered, “ _I know._ ”

He closed his eyes, confusion furrowing his brow.

“What?”

She pressed her forehead to his, breathed him in. “I have an idea, but you have to let me into the field.”

He opened his eyes again, gaze locking onto hers.

Had she had known that their next discussion would be their last, she would have pressed her lips to his the way she craved to.


End file.
